Propeller



Jan. 13, 1942.

C. UPTON PROPELLER Filed Jan. Il, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l my NTQR.

A TTORNEYS.

C. UPTON PROPELLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 11, 1941 611 20,, UpZam I N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Ratented Jan. 13, 1942 UNETED STATES PATENT @FFICE PROPELLER Clayton Upton, Chester, Ill. Application January 11, 1941, Serial No. 374,121 (Cl. 170-163) 1 Claim.

This invention aims to provide a simple but effective means for changing the pitch of the blades of a propeller, forexample, the propeller of an airplane.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the'utility of devices of that type to whichthe present invention appertains, a

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, with- 'out departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in side elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being sectioned away;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectionon the line 3-3 of Fig. l.

The numeral l marks a drive shaft, commonly propelled by an internal combustion engine on an airplane. stop 2.

The hub ii of a propeller is secured to the drive shaft I, in abutment with the stop 2. The hub 3 has an internal chamber 4, preferably of rectangular form. The hub 3 is supplied with laterally outstanding bearings 5. The hub 3 may be composed'of any desired number of separable parts 6, held together by securing elements I.

oppositely disposed shafts 8 are mounted to rock for adjustment in the bearings 5. The shafts 8 carry propeller blades 9. Disk-like heads The drive shaft i has a terminal lfl-are secured to the inner ends of the shafts 8,

and may be considered as parts of the shafts. In their peripheries, the heads ill have parallelsided notches II, which form guides. The guide ll of one head I!) is disposed 180 degrees remote from the guide of the other head. The heads l0 abut against the-hub 3 at the outer or lateral ends of the chamber 4.

A tubular slide I2 is mounted to reciprocate in one end of the hub 3 and on the drive shaft l. The means M for moving the slide l2 longitudinally is conventional and well understood-in the art. At its inner end, the slide I2 is provided with a rectangular foot Ii. The foot I! 'is engaged between the heads. in on the shafts 8 of the propeller blades 9, and since the heads subjected to much strain,

the foot being disposed to turn in bearing openings l'l formed in slide .blocks IS. The length of each pin it is equal to the thickness of thecorresponding head ill. The foot l5 moves the slide blocks It for reciprocation in the guide notches ll of the heads ID on the propeller shafts 8, the slide blocks fitting closely between thefoot l5 and the bases of the guide notches I l.

- By means of the instrumentality shown at it, or its equivalent, the slide i2 is moved endwise. The foot l5 participates in the aforesaid movement of the slide l2. The journal pins l6 impart rotation to the heads l0 and to the shafts 8, the slide blocks i8 reciprocating in the guides ll of the heads lll.

Since the pins US are of a common diameter from end to end, the slides it are engaged directly by the bases of the guides H, the slides being engaged, also, by the foot I5, the foot constituting means for retaining the slides on the pins. This strong and compact feature is shown in Fig. 2. The reception of the pins in slots formed directly in the heads it is a known construction, but when a different problem-arises. The slides l8 are and they should fit closely between the foot l5 and the bases of the guides H.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is simple in construction, but will be found thoroughly advantageous for the ends to be accomplished, the mechanism being capable of withstanding hard use, and requiring little attention or repair.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

In a pitch-change mechanism for propeller blades, a drive shaft, a hub secured to the shaft and having a chamber, propeller shafts iournaled in the hub, heads on the propeller shafts, within the chamber, and engaging the hub at opposite sides of the chamber, the heads having substantially radial guides, an operating membermovable longitudinally of the drive shaft, a foot on the operating member and located in the chamber, between the heads,.slid ably, and in engagement therewith to secure rotation of the operating member along with the drive shaft, slides mountedto reciprocate in the guides, and pins carried by the foot and of a common diameter from end to end, the length of each pin being substantially equal to the thickness of engage the hub 3, within therecess I, as shown in Fig. 1, the slide "rotates with the drive mon diameter from end to end and are mounted outstanding the corresponding head, the pins having engagement with the respective slides, the slides fitting closely between the foot and the bases of the guides.

CLAYTON UPTON.

the slides l8 areemployed,

pivotal 

